Maarten Van Severen

Maarten Van Severen (1956-2005) was the son of the abstract painter Dan Van Severen. He studied architecture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent.

In 1986, Van Severen started to design furniture. His work reflects his quest for perfection in form, detail and fabrication. Maarten worked in a variety of different materials, from aluminum and plywood to bakelite and polyester.

His first piece, a long and slender steel table, has since been recreated as an aluminum model, which has been further refined over the years. In 1989, he produced his first wooden table – long, slim and pure in form. Fascinated by the relation between his furniture pieces and their architectural environment, Van Severen worked with Rem Koolhaas on a number of prestigious projects including Maison à Bordeaux and the Casa da Musica. In 2005, he designed a garden pavilion for the Boxy brothers which earned him a nomination of the Mies van der Rohe Award 2007.